Retailers shower Canadian PlayBook buyers with discounts and gift cards

Retailers in Canada have begun offering discounts and free gift cards to …

BlackBerry PlayBook price slashing has begun in earnest: Canadian Best Buy, Future Shop, and Staples have all lowered the price of the tablet by at least $100, with an additional $100 gift card offered in some scenarios. The first two stores list the deal as part of a two-week sale, but Staples gives no end date for the pricing.

Major price-cutting on the PlayBook began for employees of Canadian mobile carrier Rogers last week, with employees able to pick up the 16GB tablet for CAN$249. Now the price drops have been extended to consumers, with the 16GB version starting at CAN$399.99, up to the 64GB version at CAN$599.99. Best Buy and FutureShop (which is owned by Best Buy Inc.) are offering an additional $100 gift card with the purchase of the PlayBook when it is purchased online.

Originally, Electronista reported that the brick-and-mortar retail stores were offering gift cards to get the $300 price in contrast to flat discounts online, but it appears the gift card system has extended to online purchases as well. Staples offers only $100 off with no corresponding gift card.

Another report from MobileSyrup suggests that another, even bigger unsung sale may be going on at WalMart, with the 16GB model priced at $250. This pricing is not available on either the Canadian or American Walmart websites, and the $250 PlayBook receipt shows it was purchased in San Marcos, Texas.

This isn’t an HP TouchPad-style fire sale yet, but then RIM doesn’t appear to be ready to completely give up on its mobile business. RIM representatives did not respond immediately to requests for comment on whether the PlayBook sales will make their way to the US.